This is super interesting! The covers I’ve seen perform really well are almost like brand packaging - the kind of thing you’d blow up, frame, and put on a wall. I think the tricky point is marketing to those just outside of TikTok, (generalising here) the 30+ year olds?
I'm also sort of sad to see books going the way of coffee shops and beauty brands and vacation rentals that are all devoid of personality because they're all trying to conform to this clean, minimalist aesthetic. Does everything have to be shades of white and pastel? Art shouldn't look like it came off the shelf at Bed, Bath & Beyond.
I have yet to see a push for authors who do more that write a book - indie authors can do everything (and bear the responsibility for how it works as well): Cover design, interior formatting, narrating (as read by author) - can these additional skills enhance the value of a book for a reader? Artisan books, as it were - produced entirely by the artist.
I’m genuinely curious who watches the morning shows (GMA, Today). When I was a kid in the nineties, I was vaguely aware that moms watched these shows. Now I am the age of moms (I’m an old millennial) and I don’t know a single woman who watches them—but every writer I know wants to get picked for these book clubs. Who is the audience?
I used to say middle America, and I think that’s still somewhat true, but the only time I ever watch them is when I’m away on business. I also watched while on maternity leave years ago. Maybe the trad wives watch them?
So much wisdom here, for my world - looking at it through a climate book/podcast marketing lens. In so many cases marketers of such things are seeing their work through an old-fashioned lens. What you write, Kathleen, about using big name influencers, thinking that simply a one-off massive reach will do the trick is so key. Nothing "one off" works. With climate influence, it is so much more powerful to identify even a few "surprising validators" or lesser known influencers with super targeted audiences and then leverage THOSE very well and over time. It doesn't sound as easy, but the front end work of understanding how to reach broader climate (and other) audiences by aligning with the influencers that match your content and ideal reader/listener is incredibly powerful. I am not in book publishing or marketing currently, but am so glad to have come across your post, Kathleen !
I liked Reid's first book a LOT. I don't tend to do fiction on audio but did that one and kept wanting to listen instead of do anything else.
I'm the audience for this second book but the cover confuses the hell out of me. The colors are fine. The title is fine. But the pig thing? When I read the description, the cover made no sense. That disconnect made me–again, among its prime audience–not pick it up.
That said, I don't touch books pushed by "influencers." I am so tired of being influenced. I want meaning, and that means I'm especially missing the time of bloggers where we got depth, voice, something more than glossy, quick, and fast. I read something recently about how too many books are becoming like fast fashion and I don't know that I agree with the premise–we know books take longer than that–it certainly FEELS that way to me as a reader and person who covers books as my job. I don't want it to cycle so fast.
The pig is very puzzling and off-putting. I agree with you on the influencer factor but I don't consider us average readers. I still find out about books from friends in the industry, critics I know, and other authors. I don't feel that books are like fast fashion--that would make them too disposable. I think publishers, in some ways, are acting like books are fast fashion. Some want quick hits and don't nourish an author's career.
Hi Kathleen thank you. Very informative. A lot left me gasping, however. A very confusing promotional landscape. What happened to a book catching fire the old fashioned way? Quality writing.
Goodreads? It sort of replaced word of mouth. And by quality I meant within one's genre. Don't want to be snooty. What Sci Fi requires is different from Rom-Com, and vice versa.
I'd be really curious to hear your thoughts about how authors can work with publishers on better defining their target audience ahead of the promo cycle. When I ask these questions of sales and marketing, I get a lot of "Oh, well, we want as many people to read it as possible" but this feels so deeply misguided to me. The target audience for a book cannot be *everyone.* How do we politely push publishers to narrow their focus? Casting too wide a net doesn't actually move the needle, in my experience.
Just signed up for your Publishing Confidential class! Question: on the third date, is it on 3/27 or 3/29? It says Wednesday 3/29, but the 29th is a Friday.
Oh! Good to know! I don’t think the dates are listed on the site, but they are listed in the top portion of this post (which is where the question came up for me as I was adding the dates to my calendar).
I was so excited for Such a Fun Age and it's concept was fabulous, but on the storytelling level it didn't really deliver. So when I heard she was coming out with a new one, I suspected a sophomore slump and that's what happened. And that cover! The worst. Even the colors are a little off putting and it's confusing in it's branding. I have no idea what it's trying to say.
I agree, the cover is busy and unappealing. I also think "Come and Get It" is a rather bland title, kind of generic, so I wonder if that's a factor here, too. And I say this as someone who read and really enjoyed and admired "Such a Fun Age."
That cover is the opposite of attractive. This is also the first time I've seen it and I pay close attention to what's new. Somehow I missed this. Whereas the other book, as you said was everywhere. I noticed the rating on this one isn't as high. Maybe the publisher wasn't as confident of it, so didn't push as hard?
This is super interesting! The covers I’ve seen perform really well are almost like brand packaging - the kind of thing you’d blow up, frame, and put on a wall. I think the tricky point is marketing to those just outside of TikTok, (generalising here) the 30+ year olds?
I'm also sort of sad to see books going the way of coffee shops and beauty brands and vacation rentals that are all devoid of personality because they're all trying to conform to this clean, minimalist aesthetic. Does everything have to be shades of white and pastel? Art shouldn't look like it came off the shelf at Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Not at all, but from a marketing perspective, you want to look at what consumers are attracted to at the moment. It doesn’t mean things stay that way.
One can only hope!
I have yet to see a push for authors who do more that write a book - indie authors can do everything (and bear the responsibility for how it works as well): Cover design, interior formatting, narrating (as read by author) - can these additional skills enhance the value of a book for a reader? Artisan books, as it were - produced entirely by the artist.
I’m genuinely curious who watches the morning shows (GMA, Today). When I was a kid in the nineties, I was vaguely aware that moms watched these shows. Now I am the age of moms (I’m an old millennial) and I don’t know a single woman who watches them—but every writer I know wants to get picked for these book clubs. Who is the audience?
I used to say middle America, and I think that’s still somewhat true, but the only time I ever watch them is when I’m away on business. I also watched while on maternity leave years ago. Maybe the trad wives watch them?
I'm a middle America mom with a lot of middle America mom friends, and it's not us!
I’m a debut author and your newsletter is helping me feel a bit less overwhelmed and much more empowered! Thank you!
Thank you. That means a lot.
This strikes me as one of the most "spot on" explorations of 2024 book marketing that I've read in ages.
Thanks so much!
So much wisdom here, for my world - looking at it through a climate book/podcast marketing lens. In so many cases marketers of such things are seeing their work through an old-fashioned lens. What you write, Kathleen, about using big name influencers, thinking that simply a one-off massive reach will do the trick is so key. Nothing "one off" works. With climate influence, it is so much more powerful to identify even a few "surprising validators" or lesser known influencers with super targeted audiences and then leverage THOSE very well and over time. It doesn't sound as easy, but the front end work of understanding how to reach broader climate (and other) audiences by aligning with the influencers that match your content and ideal reader/listener is incredibly powerful. I am not in book publishing or marketing currently, but am so glad to have come across your post, Kathleen !
I liked Reid's first book a LOT. I don't tend to do fiction on audio but did that one and kept wanting to listen instead of do anything else.
I'm the audience for this second book but the cover confuses the hell out of me. The colors are fine. The title is fine. But the pig thing? When I read the description, the cover made no sense. That disconnect made me–again, among its prime audience–not pick it up.
That said, I don't touch books pushed by "influencers." I am so tired of being influenced. I want meaning, and that means I'm especially missing the time of bloggers where we got depth, voice, something more than glossy, quick, and fast. I read something recently about how too many books are becoming like fast fashion and I don't know that I agree with the premise–we know books take longer than that–it certainly FEELS that way to me as a reader and person who covers books as my job. I don't want it to cycle so fast.
The pig is very puzzling and off-putting. I agree with you on the influencer factor but I don't consider us average readers. I still find out about books from friends in the industry, critics I know, and other authors. I don't feel that books are like fast fashion--that would make them too disposable. I think publishers, in some ways, are acting like books are fast fashion. Some want quick hits and don't nourish an author's career.
Great article as usual. Also, excited for merch, especially mugs!
Hi Kathleen thank you. Very informative. A lot left me gasping, however. A very confusing promotional landscape. What happened to a book catching fire the old fashioned way? Quality writing.
It still happens--what's changed is how people find out about those books.
Goodreads? It sort of replaced word of mouth. And by quality I meant within one's genre. Don't want to be snooty. What Sci Fi requires is different from Rom-Com, and vice versa.
I'd be really curious to hear your thoughts about how authors can work with publishers on better defining their target audience ahead of the promo cycle. When I ask these questions of sales and marketing, I get a lot of "Oh, well, we want as many people to read it as possible" but this feels so deeply misguided to me. The target audience for a book cannot be *everyone.* How do we politely push publishers to narrow their focus? Casting too wide a net doesn't actually move the needle, in my experience.
I like the way you think outside the box in terms of marketing--pairing designer reading glasses
+ books is a great concept.
Thanks so much!
Just signed up for your Publishing Confidential class! Question: on the third date, is it on 3/27 or 3/29? It says Wednesday 3/29, but the 29th is a Friday.
I am losing my mind. It is 3/5, 3/13, and 3/20. I am on the site now.
Oh! Good to know! I don’t think the dates are listed on the site, but they are listed in the top portion of this post (which is where the question came up for me as I was adding the dates to my calendar).
I was so excited for Such a Fun Age and it's concept was fabulous, but on the storytelling level it didn't really deliver. So when I heard she was coming out with a new one, I suspected a sophomore slump and that's what happened. And that cover! The worst. Even the colors are a little off putting and it's confusing in it's branding. I have no idea what it's trying to say.
I agree, the cover is busy and unappealing. I also think "Come and Get It" is a rather bland title, kind of generic, so I wonder if that's a factor here, too. And I say this as someone who read and really enjoyed and admired "Such a Fun Age."
That cover is the opposite of attractive. This is also the first time I've seen it and I pay close attention to what's new. Somehow I missed this. Whereas the other book, as you said was everywhere. I noticed the rating on this one isn't as high. Maybe the publisher wasn't as confident of it, so didn't push as hard?
I agree with you on that cover. What on earth were they thinking?!